The Truth Shall Set You Free
by Didi Wood
Summary: Iolaus finds out that he's been chasing after Hercules for nothing. Because, not only was it a dream, but Hercules doesn't want him as a lover. So...Iolaus goes to the one person he can think of that would understand. Slash, Apollo/Iolaus


                                                                                    The Truth Shall Set You Free

                                                                                                       By: Didi

Fandom: Herculese: The Legendary Journeys

Romance/alternate universe/TWT

Slash

Pairings: Apollo/Iolaus

Parts: 1/1

Rating: R

Archive: Ask and we'll see

Feedback: Send, people, send!

Summary: Iolaus has spent some time obsessing over Herculese, only to find out that that was all it was. Obsession. When he realizes whom it is he really does want to be with, he wonders if perhaps it's too late…

Disclaimer: I own nothing…SO DON'T SUE ME! Come on, please??

Warnings: Sex is mentioned, alternate universe, no real regard to timeline, possible OOCness, male/male situations.

                        Iolaus sighed as he walked to the Temple. How could he have been so stupid as to turn Apollo down a year ago, the way he had. He was still obsessing over Herculese, that's how. Oh, he wasn't doubting that Herc might have made a really great lover. But, he was sure Herculese was straight and thought of Iolaus only as a friend.

                        How did he know this for sure? Simple. Herculese told him, one night, when Iolaus was pretending to be drunk, just so that he could tell Herculese he wanted him to fuck him, and then if Herc didn't swing that way, he could just pretend that it was the liquor that did it. Herculese had told him he was straight, but even if he wasn't, he would only think of Iolaus as a friend. 

                        That was what brought reality crashing down on Iolaus. And, made him realize something very, very important. That the person he loved, he'd turned down. Just because he was following a fantasy that wasn't to be.

                        A fantasy that a lot of people, he was sure, could relate to. The fantasy of having a man that was as masculine and stronger than he looked, having him take you. He was Herculese's best friend and that's all Herculese wanted him to be. 

                        Had Iolaus had a shot at happiness? At love? Yes. Had he taken the shot? No. Why? Because, he was chasing a silly dream, a silly fantasy. And, he'd hurt the one person that loved him, and that he realized he loved, too. 

                        How did he know that he loved this person? This GOD? He just did. He felt more for Apollo than he did for Herculese or anybody else. Truth was, no mortal knew when he or she was in love. Why? Because, they'd never felt it before, and it was so many different emotions. At least that's what those that claimed to be in love said. Perhaps, then again, love was just something told by storytellers to give the mortals something to look forward to. To work for. 

                        But, all of this didn't really matter right now. Iolaus knew now, that looking back on the day Apollo had told him he loved him, that he'd only said he hadn't because he was following a dream. A dream that had shattered and proven to be nothing more than a dream.

                        He walked into the Temple with a heavy sigh and wondered if Apollo could ever forgive him.

                        "Apollo!!" Iolaus cried out, wanting to just get this over with. He felt he would get another rejection, and rightly so. Iolaus did not expect Apollo to have waited for him all this time. He probably didn't want Iolaus anymore, but some part of him had faith, yet, that he did.

                        Iolaus waited and when it seemed like forever, Apollo still hadn't shown up. Iolaus found himself uncharacteristically wanting to cry. But, a voice in his head urged him to try again, once more. It was the voice that urged him on whenever he thought he couldn't go anymore, the voice that told him to follow dreams to the last step, to do what he thought was right.

                        "Apollo, please! I know you can hear me, please come to me!" Iolaus cried out, knowing that it probably wasn't done right, that he was probably supposed to do some ritual first. But, truth be told, Iolaus wasn't into "worshipping" Gods at Temples and such. He believed and knew they were there and could kill him if they wanted to, or just take away any and everything dear and precious to him, but he didn't go to Temples and worship them, because he found he had better things to do. 

                        "I'm here, Iolaus." A voice from behind him, said.

                        Iolaus couldn't believe how radiantly beautiful Apollo was, when he turned around. His breath caught and for a moment he forgot what he was going to say. 

                        "Herculese…" Iolaus started, but suddenly wasn't sure how to say what he was going to say.

                        "Dumped you?" Apollo asked, in a fashion that wasn't normal for him, at least Iolaus didn't think so.

                        "Not really. We didn't have anything started, so he couldn't dump me. More like rejected me. I was drunk. Well, he thought I was. I was just pretending. But, he pretty much said he didn't want me. In no uncertain terms." Iolaus said, looking down.

                        "He hurt you." Apollo said, though it was a kind and gentle voice. 

                        "…Yeah." Iolaus said, not really knowing what else to say. Really, though, what was he supposed to say 'Oh, yeah, and by the way, I'm sorry I did the same thing to you, back then, wouldja take me back?' No…Iolaus didn't think that was a nice approach, either. 

                        "Herculese is a fool. He couldn't see a perfect jewel when it was presented to him on a golden platter. I'm sorry he hurt you, Iolaus…" Apollo said, very sincerely.

                        "I'm not a perfect jewel, Apollo…" Iolaus said. 

                        "Come…why have you come to me? There surely are other people you could go to. Others that would be far easier and I'm sure less intimidating than a God to go to in an hour or time of need such as this. Why me, Iolaus?" Apollo said. He didn't sound angry and he didn't sound like he was holding a grudge against Iolaus.

                        "Because, you told me you loved me once…" Iolaus said, but wasn't able to finish.

                        "And, you turned me away, as Herculese has done to you." Apollo said, more of a way to coax Iolaus into finishing, than anything else. 

                        "Yeah…and I wanted to tell you that the only reason I rejected you was because I was following Herculese. It was more of a fantasy for me. A crush, I guess. And, I didn't know it at the time. I'm sorry, Apollo. I didn't meant to hurt you. But, I wanted to know…I wanted to know if you still felt the same for me…" Iolaus asked, uncertainly, babbling more than anything.

                        "…Of course, I do, Iolaus. Love doesn't stop when someone is rejected. I love you and I always will." Apollo said, not at all shy or ashamed of his love for Iolaus.

                        "Then…" Iolaus started…

                        "Will I take you back?" Apollo finished, already able to see where this was headed.

                        Iolaus merely nods, not saying anything else, obviously having braced himself for rejection.

                        "Iolaus…I can't take you back…because I never turned you away. If you want me at all, Iolaus, I'm here. If you need me, I'm here. I'm not going to turn you away." Apollo said, meaning every word.

                        Iolaus was quite happy and for a moment the Sun God thought Iolaus would cry. Upon thinking this, he went right over to Iolaus and put his arms around him, embracing him. He'd wanted to do that for so long. He'd been watching Iolaus for years and he was just so glad he had this moment, even at the very least, to just hold Iolaus.

                        Iolaus wasn't going to cry, but he did put his arms around Apollo. At least he had somebody now. Somebody that he really cared about and that really cared about him. Not somebody he was just chasing. Sure, some people might decide he was just on the rebound, but they could think whatever they wanted to. This was real.

                        After sharing a kiss, they decided they couldn't wait until later. Years of want and desire and need wouldn't allow it. Need, want and desire for each other. Making love in the Temple wasn't something they thought was particularly kinky or dirty or nasty. In fact, to somebody that was watching, it would seem as though what Iolaus and Apollo were doing, wasn't merely sex, but love put to action. 

                        For the whole time that Iolaus and Apollo were joined, from the moment it started, from that first kiss, they'd only been able to think, hear, feel, smell, see each other. Nothing else and no one else registered in their minds. Not that statues, not the Gods on Olympus, not the mortals on Earth, not the dead, not the Temple, not Earth itself or Olympus. The only things that existed to them, was each other. 

                        Once it was finished, what they would have rather had last forever, being joined as one, showing their love for each other to each other through action…once that was over, they lay next to each other, just looking at each other, before they both decided some sleep was in order. Sleeping on the Temple floor was not above them tonight.

                                                                        *   *   *

                        "Come to Olympus with me." Apollo said, softly into Iolaus' ear once they'd been awake and talking for awhile, the next morning.

                        "What'll I tell Herc?" Iolaus asked. He just wanted to know what sort of explanation he was supposed to give Herculese as to why he was running off to Olympus with Apollo.

                        "Tell him the truth." Apollo answered, simply.

                        "I guess I should, shouldn't I?" Iolaus asked.

                        "As much of a fool that Herculese is, and even though he rejected you, he does deserve the truth. After all, he takes great pains to tell the truth as often as he possibly can. And, unless you're ashamed of it, I don't see any reason to hold this back from him." Apollo said.

                        Iolaus didn't think Herculese was a fool, but he would let that drop. 

                        "You're right. And, I'm not ashamed. I'll tell him. But, you have to give me time to do it. Can you?" Iolaus asked, near begging. 

                        "Yes. How long, Iolaus?" Apollo asked, just to know how long he'd be without his love again.

                        "Two days. One to get back to him and tell him…and another to get back here." Iolaus answered.

                        "Make it one, if you just call out my name and I'll come for you when you've told Herculese." Apollo suggested.

                        "Alright. One. But, I fail to see how you're jacking off is going to help me get to Olympus." Iolaus said with a grin.

                        "You know very well what I meant, Iolaus." Apollo chuckled.

                        "Yeah…I know…And, it's a deal." Iolaus said, smiling.

The End

Author's note: Okay, I know. I probably over rated it, and didn't get the characters in character enough.  That's what the OOC warning was for, but anyways, this is my first attempt at a fanfiction of this Fandom. Just so you know. -_-;; I'm sorry if it was awful.


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